HARDLOCK INDUSTRY Co., Ltd.

Our company developed a locking nut that uses the wedge principle to apply force perpendicular to the bolt axis and keep it from vibrating loose. These nuts are being used around the world in key applications such as railroads where safety is given the highest priority. We have sales agencies in Korea, China, Taiwan, Australia, the UK, the USA, Brazil and Thailand.

Other presentation

[Company strength]
We have dedicated ourselves since our founding about 40 years ago to creating the most effective locking nuts. We have supplied hundreds of millions of these nuts to locations around the world, including some of the most rigorous and security-critical applications. There has never been so much as a single case of unintentional loosening reported. This represents a significant contribution to society. A growing focus on safety, durability and reliability is expected to make this product increasingly indispensable in the years ahead.
[Business description]
Our company was founded in 1974 and, for roughly 40 years, we have been engaged in the manufacture and sale of self-locking Hard Lock Nuts. This lineup has grown to include sister products Hard Lock Bearing Nuts, Hard Lock Set Screws and single Space Lock Nuts. We manufacture our products in Japan, with four factories in Higashi-Osaka plus external contract manufacturing at eight additional locations in the region. Our sales bases consist of the head office in Osaka, the Tokyo Branch and more than 200 domestic sales companies. We also have sales agents in Korea, China, Taiwan, Australia, the UK, the US, Brazil and Thailand. Our annual sales are roughly 20 million sets.
[Industry]
Manufacture and sale of specialized fasteners
[Strength of products/technologies]
These nuts have overcome the problem of loosening due to vibration or impact that no other nuts prior to that had been able to handle. This had been particularly problematic in applications where repeated loads are generated perpendicular to the bolt axis. They use the wedge principle to place stress perpendicular to the bolt axis and lock the fastener in place, and are the world’s most effective at eliminating bolt loosening. These nuts can be made with a variety of materials and surface treatments. They are reusable and are widely recognized as providing their users with significant cost savings.
[Representative's message]
The nuts we manufacture are essential in applications where safety is a prime consideration, including railroads in various locations around the world. We anticipate having a strong presence in aerospace and in smaller diameter products in the future, though we have not yet established a track record in these areas. This includes such applications as medical use, eyeglasses and OA equipment.
[Company structure for market development/overseas expansion]
We have put in place an internal organization to meet JIS Q 9100 quality management standards for the aerospace and defense industries. We also plan to recruit staff from overseas in order to expand sales channels in English speaking countries.
[Awards and media coverage]
[Awards] 3rd Monodzukuri Nippon Grand Awards, Special Prize; 35th Invention Award; 10th Innovator Awards, Grand Prize; 26th Kansai Spirit Award; among many others
[Media] TV Tokyo “Cambrian Palace,” TBS “Dream Door,” Nippon TV “World’s Most Desirable Lecture,” NHK “Luzon Pot,” Newsweek, and many others
[Authorization/Certification]
JIS Q 9100:2009
ISO 9001:2008
certification acquired
[Joint research and development]
Joint research with Hiroshima University and Shonan Institute of Technology
[Factory (domestic)]
Manufacturing Facilities 1 – 4 (Osaka)
[Other sites]
Osaka Head Office, Sales Base (Osaka) Tokyo Branch (Tokyo)
[Transaction form]
Mainly product sales, but may at times engage in joint development with customers
[Transaction terms]
To be discussed
[Main Clients / Business History (domestic)]
JR and other railroads, NTT (towers), general construction companies, steel manufacturers including Nippon Steel and Sumitomo Metal, road companies including Metropolitan Expressway, heavy electrical equipment manufacturers
[Main Clients / Business History (overseas)]
Network Rail (UK), Samsung Heavy Industries and Hyundai Heavy Industries (South Korea), China South Locomotive, Taiwan High Speed Rail, Vale (Brazil), Westinghouse (Australia), among others
[Exhibition History/Information]
M-Tech Mechanical Components & Materials Technology Expo, Railway Technology Exhibition, Highway Techno Fair, Japan International Aerospace Exhibition, InnoTrans (Germany), Mechanical Technology Exhibition (South Korea), Railway Technology Exhibition (Australia), and others; M-Tech (planned), Railway Technology Exhibition (planned), Highway Techno Fair (planned), Fastener Fair (planned), InnoTrans (planned)